Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-05-27
A RefOrmatOry Typewriter.

took big bite out of his flesh"
A RefOrmatOry Typewriter.
A friend of mine owns typewriter,
and he has man to work it. This
man is SO quick that, in taking letters
that are dictated by any friend, he
rarely uses shorthand, but dashes them
off on the machine. There is only one
trouble with Mr.. Slack, the manipula-
tor Of the keys, and that is that he
takes two much drink. He admits
that it is hurting him, but he doesn't
seem to have strength of mind enough
to quit. My friend has labored with
him good deal, and with some sue
cess. He doesn't want to discharge
him-frst, because he is most expert
man; and, second, because he is sure
he will 60 to the bad when he leaves.
He has never yet had the deliriums,
although he has come rather close to
it sometimes. These near approaches
always make him struggle to amend.
told my friend Brunscome that what
Slack needed was real good tussle
with the blue devils to make him
quit the habit, and so Brunscome
thought he would get up that attack
himself as a sort of warning to the
poor Young man.
1t was Brunscome's idea. l under
stand the construction of the type
writer pretty well, having had my own
apart several times. took q screw
driver and changed the letters. Any
one familiar with typewriter knows
that the letters can be changed merely
by taking out a screw. When we got
through with the typewriter it was
fixed so that if you struck E" it
printed "A" and so on. When Slack
came in next morning Burnscome
said to him:
"Good gracious, Slack, what's the
matter"
Matter, sir? Nothing, sir" answered
Slack, looking very uneasy.
"Now, look here, Slack, don't try to
CANNON me. You have been drink
ing again, Slack"
Pom my honor, sir, l."
"Now, Slack"
"Well, sir, not enough to do any
harm, sir"
"See here, Slack" said Brunscome,
taking him to one side, and whispering
to him. you've got the d. T. in
your eye, my boy. You may not know
it, but you have. I've seen it too often
to be deceived, Slack. You may not
see snakes; in fact, knowing your
strength of mind, Slack, / would say
it would never take that form with
you. But your brain will give way,
and all of heap, too, if you don't
quit right off and never tou ch it again.
l really don't believe you're fit for work
now"
"Oh, I'm not as bad as you think
sir; / assure you ! haven't had any
thing to hurt, SIR"
Well, I may be wrong" said Bruins
come, with sigh. "If 80, it's the
first time"
Slack took off his coat and sat down
at the typewriter, slipping in the sheet
of paper. Brunscome dictated the
letter and Slack worked it off without
looking at the MSS. Then he turned
up the top of the machine to see if it
was all right. Here is what met his
eye:
Hrny gti
Uyer txypque nmught hg rtf dsap
dcyt yrs&4m. Gl9,e rwqaptrenda jnu
rtf Gins XIX uftz, and so on the last.
Slack drew his hand across his brow
and gasped for breath. Burnscome
paid no attention but when on dictat-
ing the next letter. The click of the
machine did not follow.
What's wrong?" said Brunscome.
Slack crumpled up the letter in his
hand, and looked as if he were too
frightened to speak. Finally he got
enough breath together to say:
L think your are right, sir. I'll
I'll go home, l thing, sir"
"Do," said Brunscome, "that's a
good fellow. You'll be all right in the
morning, and for my sake quit it alto
gether."
The typewriter was all correct in
the morning and now Slack and the
"pubs" don't speak as they pass by.
WM. Shearer, who stabbed j. E.
Murine to death recently at New West
minister, has already been overtaken
by speedy justice. Within week af-